(Newser)
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Scientists have discovered the first case of mad cow caused by tainted blood plasma, the Telegraph reports. The elderly British man, who died from other causes, received blood transfusions years before doctors imposed restrictions to halt the spread of the fatal disease. Scientists had previously insisted the 4,000 people who received possibly contaminated plasma were unlikely to contract mad cow.

“This looks like pretty grim news for a group of people who have been through fire and water for so long,” said one bacteriology professor, adding, “There is a lot more we still need to know.” More than 160 Britons have died from mad cow, and after learning that the disease’s incubation period varies, scientists warned more could be infected.

what a way to go....HSE (human spongiform encephalopathy)..or the human version of mad cow..is nasty stuff indeed...it could easily be missed or misdiagnosed as some other disease process, such as multi-infarct dementia, alzheimers related syndrome, or senile dementia of unknown etiology, combine that with the variable incubation periods, subtle onset of symptoms......a nightmare waiting to occur